What did you spend for your 15k valve check (2010/2011 KTRC)?

[bigpoppa]

Since I'm probably about a month or two away from hitting 15k, I'm curious what other owners of 2010/2011 KTRC equipped bikes ended up paying for their initial 15k valve check. I've been quoted a pretty beefy figure of $600-$1200+ depending on the amount of adjusting they need to do. I even checked two dealers and an independent shop and they all pretty much say the same thing.

I'm not disputing the price quote (it's been explained that the extra electronics and plumbing associated with the KTRC adds to the complexity of the job), just curious what the average out of pocket cost has been. Want to know if it's brown-bag lunches for the next couple of months or if I can still splurge a bit.

 

[COGnosticator]

Since I'm probably about a month or two away from hitting 15k, I'm curious

I haven't had it done yet, but I have been quoted by two different Kaw dealers in town, one was $800 the other was $576.  The $576 guy I asked to check and make sure and he confirmed the price to me.  I am at 18k miles and yet to have it done.  The $586 dealer said it wasn't due until 25k miles, I told him he might want to check that it wasn't 25k kilometers instead of miles.  He said he would.  Shame we have to edumacate our dealers  :-\

 

[GROMMET]

Hi, I just had it done on my 09. with 19k miles on it, kawasaki dealer in Santa Barbara did it, 635.00 was the total. included new ir ngk plugs and cleaning the air filter. my only gripe ,other than the vent panels on the sides missing the tabs position and the rt side bulging a bit so the vent panel is not flush now, and some black scratched off the engine case next to the fill cap,minor refitting I can do... all that time and work and not one shim was changed? I even got a paper drawing showing its in spec, intake range 12-17..mine at .129  and exaust at .207.. hmm so in spec? do you folks think that at the bottom of the range is ok to leave? should I say something? or just call it a lesson and do it myself next time.. or have you seen wear being so slow. I would have at least set them to the middle or the range,after all that window dressing removed.  Please what do YOU think?

 

[vmag83]

I asked the dealer about this service and he told me not to worry about it unless I hear a valve tick.  I tend to believe him because I just sold my ST1100 with 75k miles on it and I never had the valves checked!  It ran great the whole time.  It sounds like a nightmare to me having these guys take your bike apart just to check something that is probably fine anyway.  And usually, they end up with extra screws in their pockets and you end up with extra scratches on your bike.  Not for me...

 

[GROMMET]

thanks, big wheels, it is a nightmare, i picked it up and parked it in the dark garage... i was riding it every single day before, feel sooo sad.. but getting over it,  :]

 

[elektradw]

I had 2 BMW K100s back in the 90s. They were one of the first to use shim under bucket system on the valve train. At 50,000 I figured it was probably time and I would attempt it myself. Very easy to get at the top end on a K bike, just take the valve cover off and it's all right there. Bought the shim kit, which at the time was $125 and a couple of necessary tools. Spent the entire day checking all the clearances and didn't end up replacing a single shim. If you use good oil and change regularly this is a bullet proof system that rarely requires service unless the bike starts running rough or you have a lot of valve train noise. Just a nice paycheck for the service department.

 

[bigpoppa]

Thanks for the feedback all. Since I popped for the extended warranty and I fully expect to end up around 150k by the time the expended warranty is up, I don't want to risk voiding my warranty for not adhering to the published maintenance schedule.

Can anyone shed any light on what kind of push-back I could expect on any future warranty claim if I don't adhere to the recommended service intervals?

 

[Superdave54]

So is it fair to say that before giving your bike to a knucklehead mechanic at the local dealer, it might be better to go ahead and check the clearances yourself?  You may find the clearances are still in spec, but at least you would know of they were telling the truth after you got the bill and report if they needed adjusting. 

I have the full manual, and have adjusted the valves on many a car and bike, but all had adjusters and I did not have to use shims.  I really don't want to buy a shim kit and learn on my 2011. 

 

[MAN OF BLUES]

So is it fair to say that before giving your bike to a knucklehead mechanic at the local dealer, it might be better to go ahead and check the clearances yourself?  You may find the clearances are still in spec, but at least you would know of they were telling the truth after you got the bill and report if they needed adjusting. 

I have the full manual, and have adjusted the valves on many a car and bike, but all had adjusters and I did not have to use shims.  I really don't want to buy a shim kit and learn on my 2011.

lets put it this way, buying a "shim kit" is a total waste of money, seeing as all the commercial ones have graduations that are twice the thickness range of the kaw shims you may need, and the in between sizes cannot be achieved using them.
If you are lucky, simply swapping positions  on some after you map everything out, and puchasing the ones you really need, will be about the norm. note also, that by measuring and mapping the buckets at the same time, allows for more swaps and adaptability with the existing shims.
All in all, don't buy any shims till you know what you have in there, 95% of the ones in the kit will be useless to you.
If you go to the troble of shimming, make sure you shim to the top end of the range on everything, this will allow a much longer interval (unknown milage tho) between the next "swaps", but doing the measurments (no cam removal required ) on interval is still a wise choice.....once you have them all mapped and happy.

 

[SteveJ]

Dunno if this applies to a C-14, but my local dealer maintains a KLR size shim exchange, FREE, nice benefit. You may wanna ask your dealer if they have something like this going on.

 

[bigpoppa]

Just got my C14 back from the dealer last week. 15k service came out to $800 with the valves checking out okay...no adjustment needed. Labor was $500+ for the service and the rest was gaskets, plugs, full-synth oil, and filters.

Sometimes living in an apartment sucks when it comes to not being able to do your own maintenance. :-(

 

[MAN OF BLUES]

Dunno if this applies to a C-14, but my local dealer maintains a KLR size shim exchange, FREE, nice benefit. You may wanna ask your dealer if they have something like this going on.

IIRC they are the exact same shims....

and yes, most GOOD dealers will do swaps, I only had to buy 2, and that was because they didn't have them in thier kits (I hit 3 shops, and all swapped a couple each for me).

 

[cycle2]

Just did the valve service on my 14 @ 35kms or 21500 miles, only one was a concern, odered aftermarket package of 5 shimes for $20 did the trick, plugs and kawi s4 oil and filter and off I go. finnal price under $200.00. and 10 hours of my time, will do better the next time. and mine did not make any noise before being done, but one was at 3-, low end should have been 4.7-6.7, so glade I did it.